She was less successful after she had emigrated to New York compared t

A. She was less successful after she had emigrated to New York compared to ---- comparing success to a place; in addition, the full text is a run-on

B. Being less successful after she had emigrated to New York as compared to ------ comparing success to a place;

C. Less successful after she emigrated to New York than she had been in---the introductory clause correctly modifies photographer Jotte – In addition, the choice uses sequentially proper chronological tensing

D. Although she was less successful after emigrating to New York when compared to ----- the contrast has already been brought out by the word – nevertheless-; although is redundant.

E. She had been less successful after emigrating to New York than in --- The text is a run on

Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-



Choice A: This answer choice incorrectly compares the photographer's level of success to "Germany". Furthermore, the use of the comparative word "less" demands the use of the word "than". Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.

Choice B: This answer choice repeats the errors found in Option A. This answer choice also uses the word "being" to refer to a state of existence, "less successful". Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.

Choice C: This answer choice correctly compares the photographer's level of success in New York and Germany, respectively, through the phrase "than she had been in" and avoids both redundancy and the run-on error. Thus, this answer choice is correct.

Choice D: This answer choice repeats the errors found in Options A and B. This answer choice also suffers from a redundancy error due to the use of two words that convey contrast, "although" and "nevertheless". Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.

Choice E: This answer choice incorrectly connects two independent clauses through a comma, creating a run-on sentence. Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.

Hence, C is the best answer choice.

To understand the concept of "Comma Splice and Run-Ons on GMAT", you may want to watch the following video (~6 minutes):



To understand the concept of "Use of Being on GMAT", you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):



All the best!
Experts' Global Team

A. Success is compared with Native Germany. Also "less" needs "than".
B. Distorts meaning. Implies that her relatively moderate success was somehow linked with her small group of followers. Alo Being as modifier is never correct.
D. "when" denotes a timeline. "less" needs "than"
E. Run On sentence.
C is CORRECT

theory:

Compared to/with” is redundant in a comparison that already includes the word more/less; in such an instance, more than/less than should be used
AS COMPARED TO/WITH and WHEN COMPARED TO/WITH ===>these two are wrong constructions.

A) She was less successful after she had emigrated to New York compared to

B) Being less successful after she had emigrated to New York as compared to

C) Less successful after she emigrated to New York than she had been in===>correct

D) Although she was less successful after emigrating to New York when compared to

E) She had been less successful after emigrating to New York than in==>incorrect use of HAD...as she emigrated later to new york.

hope it helps

Hello Everyone!

Let's tackle this question, one issue at a time, and narrow it down to the correct choice quickly! To start, here is the original question with any major differences between the options highlighted in orange:

She was less successful after she had emigrated to New York compared to her native Germany, photographer Lotte Jacobi nevertheless earned a small group of discerning admirers, and her photographs were eventually exhibited in prestigious galleries across the United States.

(A) She was less successful after she had emigrated to New York compared to
(B) Being less successful after she had emigrated to New York as compared to
(C) Less successful after she emigrated to New York than she had been in
(D) Although she was less successful after emigrating to New York when compared to
(E) She had been less successful after emigrating to New York than in

After taking a quick glance over the options, here are a few things we can focus on to narrow down our choices:

1. She was / Being / Although / She had been (Structure & Conjunctions)
2. had emigrated / emigrated / emigrating (Verb Tense)
3. compared to / as compared to / than she had been in / when compared to / than in (Comparisons & Idioms)

Let's start with #1 on our list, because it will eliminate a couple options pretty quickly. The phrase that's underlined is meant to act as a modifier for the subject, photographer Lotte Jacobi. This means that the phrase needs to look like a modifier, and not a complete sentence. Let's see how each option handles this when you add the remainder of the sentence to it:

(A) She was less successful after she had emigrated to New York compared to her native Germany, photographer Lotte Jacobi nevertheless earned a small group of discerning admirers, and her photographs were eventually exhibited in prestigious galleries across the United States.
(B) Being less successful after she had emigrated to New York as compared to her native Germany, photographer Lotte Jacobi nevertheless earned a small group of discerning admirers, and her photographs were eventually exhibited in prestigious galleries across the United States.
(C) Less successful after she emigrated to New York than she had been in her native Germany, photographer Lotte Jacobi nevertheless earned a small group of discerning admirers, and her photographs were eventually exhibited in prestigious galleries across the United States.
(D) Although she was less successful after emigrating to New York when compared to her native Germany, photographer Lotte Jacobi nevertheless earned a small group of discerning admirers, and her photographs were eventually exhibited in prestigious galleries across the United States.
(E) She had been less successful after emigrating to New York than in her native Germany, photographer Lotte Jacobi nevertheless earned a small group of discerning admirers, and her photographs were eventually exhibited in prestigious galleries across the United States.

We can eliminate options A & E because the underlined phrases are complete sentences, and not modifiers like we need them to be! Both of these sentences are actually great examples of comma splices - two complete sentences separated only by a comma, which isn't good enough to separate them (they need a conjunction or semicolon instead).

Next, let's tackle #3 on our list: comparisons. Whenever we see comparative words, such as "less," "fewer," "more," etc., we know that we need to check for any problems with redundant or non-parallel comparisons! Let's take a closer look at each option and make sure the comparisons are handled properly:

(B) Being less successful after she had emigrated to New York as compared to

This is INCORRECT because it's redundant. There is no need to say "as compared to" when we already have the word "less" indicating that we're comparing two things.

(C) Less successful after she emigrated to New York than she had been in

This is CORRECT! It makes more sense to say "X is less than Y" because it's clear and concise. It's also clear that the sentence compares Jacobi's success in New York to her success in Germany.

(D) Although she was less successful after emigrating to New York when compared to

This is also INCORRECT because it's redundant. It also creates a non-parallel comparison! This phrase actually compares her success in New York to the country of Germany, which isn't parallel.


There you have it - option C is the correct choice! It's the only one that is clear, concise, and parallel!


Don't study for the GMAT. Train for it.

Also go with C, which is also in correct tense.

A) Incorrect sequence of tense.
B) Incorrect sequence of tense.
C) Correct sequence of tense.
D) Violate the idiom "Less .......than".
E) Incorrect sequence of tense.

She was less successful after she had emigrated to New York compared to her native Germany, photographer Lotte Jacobi nevertheless earned a small group of discerning admirers, and her photographs were eventually exhibited in prestigious galleries across the United States.

Meaning;
The success status of Lotte Jacobi is compared when she was in Germany, than her success status after going to NY.

A. She was less successful after she had emigrated to New York compared to
success/less success can not be compared to a country-incorrect
B. Being less successful after she had emigrated to New York as compared to
"being"is incorrect also, success can not be compared to a country-incorrect
C. Less successful after she emigrated to New York than she had been in
Comparison is logically and grammatically parallel by using "in " which states the success status of Jacobi in both places.
D. Although she was less successful after emigrating to New York when compared to
success can not be compared to a country-incorrect
E. She had been less successful after emigrating to New York than in
distorted meaning

(C) wins

Don't forget to pay attention to the meaning here - specifically the order of events.

She was originally in Germany. Then she went to New York.

So any usage of HAD -- must be associated with GERMANY -- since thas was further int he past.;;

Notice in (A) - we have "She was less successful after she had emigrated to NY" -- you cannot use HAD in the context of New York - so (A) is no good. Same with (B) and (E).

Only (C) uses regular past tense "emigrated" in context of New York and then "had been" in the context of Germany. This makes it clear that she emigrated to New York. But further into the past, she HAD BEEN in Germany.

So do pay attention to the MEANING and use the correct verb-tense accordingly.

We have explained this question in this video:

Sentence Analysis
As we read the sentence, we figure out that the sentence presents a comparison of the success one person achieved in two different time periods. It says that:

‘she’ (some ‘she’ – we don’t have an antecedent till now) was less successful after she had emigrated to New York than she had been in her native Germany.
As you can see, while presenting the comparison, I’ve changed a couple of things.

‘compared to” to “than” – When we have less, more, or other -er words (better, smaller etc), we need ‘than’, instead of ‘compared to’ or other comparison structures, to follow these words.
‘compared to her native Germany’ to ‘than she had been in her native Germany’ – As is, the original sentence seems to compare ‘she’ with ‘her native Germany’. Clearly, not only the meaning is illogical but it also doesn’t seem to be the intended meaning.
Therefore, while explaining this part of the sentence, I’ve made the above two changes. It also means that these two are the errors that need to be corrected.

As we read further, we see that there’s another independent clause:

photographer Lotte Jacobi nevertheless earned a small group of discerning admirers
We have two independent clauses joined by a comma. This is the third error in the sentence.

In addition, since the first part of the sentence is an independent clause, it doesn’t make sense to use the pronoun ‘she’ in it and then introduce the antecedent in the second independent clause. If these two parts are to be presented as two independent clauses, then ideally, the noun should be used in the first independent clause and the pronoun in the second independent clause.

She was less successful after she had emigrated to New York compared to her native Germany
photographer Lotte Jacobi nevertheless earned a small group of discerning admirers, and her photographs were eventually exhibited in prestigious galleries across the United States.
The two parts of the sentence are separated by a comma and not a semi colon - which directly implies that the first part of the sentence cannot be an independent clause- but a subordinate cluase, and we know from the context and structure of second part that it acts as a modifer to the subject "photographer Lotte Jacobi"
Any correct answer choice cannot therefore have a complete working verb in it - so A,D (was) and E ( had been) are all wrong because here the first fragment of the sentence are complete clauses
Between B & C:
as compared to should be followed by in. C is comparing how successful she was in New York to her native germany - it should be 'as compared to (when) IN Germany' Also, being is not preferred- it's redundant when compared to construction in C

"Success after she emigrated" is being compared to "her native Germany"
Also comparison marker such as "less" needs "than" to compare.
A goes out.
Comparison issue same as in answer option A.
Also comparison marker such as "less" needs "than" to compare.
Comparison is perfect. "Less successful after she emigrated to New York" than "she had been in her native Germany"
Also "had been"(past perfect) clearly shows the sequence of events.
Comparison issue similar as in answer option A.
Also comparison marker such as "less" needs "than" to compare.
She had been less successful after emigrating to New York than inher native Germany becomes a complete IC. An IC can't be clubbed with another IC with a comma.
2. This sentence uses "had been" with New York, only to mess up the tense sequence. Success in New York comes later than success in her native Germany.

She was less successful after she had emigrated to New York compared to her native Germany,
photographer Lotte Jacobi nevertheless earned a small group of discerning admirers, and her photographs
were eventually exhibited in prestigious galleries across the United States.

A. She was less successful after she had emigrated to New York compared to
Illogical comparison. This sentence illogically compare Success of Lotte in NY with Native Germany.
However, the actual comparison is between success in NY and success in Germany

B. Being less successful after she had emigrated to New York as compared to
Same error as A.

C. Less successful after she emigrated to New York than she had been in
Correct comparison !!

D. Although she was less successful after emigrating to New York when compared to
“when compared to” is unidiomatic …This usage means “only when the comparison is made she was less successful”
Also, the comparison is still illogical as it was in option A and B

E. She had been less successful after emigrating to New York than in
Tense error “Jacobi’s stay is Germany was prior to her stay in NY ..so the part of the sentence describing her success in Germany shall have “had been”
And the part describing her stay in NY shall NOT have “had been” but a simple past tense.
Also, here two clauses are joined by a “,” . Totally Incorrect!!

Sarja

Sentnece One: She was less successful after she had emigrated to New York compared to her native Germany, --- This is a completed sentence, but a complex sentnece.

Sentence Two : photographer Lotte Jacobi nevertheless earned a small group of discerning admirers and her photographs were eventually exhibited in prestigious galleries across the United States.-- This is also a compound sentence and it is a compound sentence.

Therefore, this is a complex-compound sentence. How do you connect a complex sentence to a compound sentence? We cannot do it just by a comma, can we?

Nevertheless, you yourself have given the answer why A is a run on. As you say there are two ICs which are connected by a comma. Isn't this a run-on?

It is clear that choice A is not correct, even by the more apparent comparison error. There may not be a point in delving into a wrong choice for the sake of a concept that might be too hot to handle in the hall.

Hi mbaapp1234, strictly speaking, E is not a comma splice, because it has three independent clauses connected by a coordinating conjunction (and).

p.s. Our book EducationAisle Sentence Correction Nirvana discusses comma splice, its application and examples in significant detail. If someone is interested, PM me your email-id; I can mail the corresponding section.

Hi mbaapp1234, if the entire sentence has three (or more) Independent clauses, then the first two Independent clauses will be most likely connected by a comma. But that doesn't make the sentence a comma splice.

For example, following is a correct sentence:

Peter plays football, his sister plays basketball, and his brother is into skating.

The presence of a comma after "football" does not make this a comma splice.

Hey,

Comparisons ought to be parallel right. A clause parallel to a clause in comparison.
What i meant is
Less Successful after she emigrated to NY. <- this is an adjective
Than she had been in Germany. <- This is a clause.

Please note in the above,
She had been in germany is not parallel to she emigrated to NY.
It is rather parallel to She "was" less successful after she emigrated to NY.

Eg.
She was successful in NY
She had been successful in Germany. Successful is ellided.
But the former is less than the latter.

But the was is not there as Less successful is a modifier.

Well for a similar question letters to Mark Twain, this is an issue highlighted by a moderator.

I am all for meaning, understanding and being flexible to pick the "best" option.

But I guess I figured the answer to my question last night.

Less successful after she emigrated to NewYork than "when" she had been in Germany is a better comparison.

In this case
"when" she had been in Germany
IS PARALLEL TO
after she emigrated to NewYork

"she had been in Germany" <- no ellipsis. Just a case of presence in Germany.
"she emigrated to NY" <- presence in NY.

This IMO is a better comparison for the case. But we chose from the available options and no doubt the correct answer is the best available option.

I can quote Manhattan too . But application is a different picture and well learning from experts is the real learning in that case .

Though let me know if you found what i wrote to make sense.

Hi Expert,
I need to have an exact solution of THIS problem. If the correct answer is C, then the complete sentence will be:
Less successful after she emigrated to New York than she had been in to he native Germany, photographer Lotte Jacobi nevertheless earned a small group discerning admirers, and her photographers were eventually exhibited in prestigious galleries across the United States.
Here, the BOLD is a tag. it works like "not only X...........but also Y" or "either X.............or Y"
I should not write:
He is not only a student but also he is going to USA for his higher education.----->doesn't make any sense.
also, i should not say:
The person is either Stanford student or he is going to ask a question in the forum.------->doesn't make any sense, too.

if we write this correct sentence like below, then it'll be run-on sentence.

She was less successful after she emigrated to New York than she had been in to he native Germany, photographer Lotte Jacobi nevertheless earned a small group discerning admirers, and her photographers were eventually exhibited in prestigious galleries across the United States.

So for that reason, GMAC technically withdraw red part from the here (may be there is a specific rules to withdraw the subject)
Anyway, in the correct sentence there is a tag (e.g., less XXX........than YYY), THIS tags must show similar ideas like NOT only X.......BUT also Y, right?
But, in the correct option C, there is NO consistency in this TAG, this tags works like my wrong sentences! looks like below:
less SUCCESSFUL (adjective) than COMPLETE SENTENCE
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